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Chapter 32: “No Fight” Is the Central Teaching

The first question:

OshoPlease explain whether the techniques you have discussed so far from Vigyan Bhairav Tantra belong to the science of yoga instead of to the actual and central subject matter of Tantra. What is the central subject matter of Tantra?

This question arises to many. The techniques that we have discussed also belong to yoga. They are the same techniques, but with a difference: you can use the same techniques with a very different philosophy behind them. The framework, the pattern differs, not the technique. You may have a different attitude toward life, just the contrary to Tantra.

Yoga believes in struggle; Yoga is basically the path of will. Tantra does not believe in a struggle; Tantra is not the path of will. Rather, on the contrary, Tantra is the path of total surrender. Your will is not needed. For Tantra your will is the problem, the source of all anguish. For Yoga your surrender, your will-lessness is the problem.

Because your will is weak, that is why you are in anguish, suffering - for yoga. For Tantra, because you have a will, because you have an ego, an individuality, that is why you are suffering. Yoga says, bring your will to absolute perfection and you will be liberated. Tantra says, dissolve your will completely, become totally emptied of it, and that will be your liberation. And both are right; this creates the problem. For me, both are right.

But the path of yoga is a very difficult one. It is just impossible, nearly impossible, that you can attain to the perfection of the ego. It means you become the center of the whole universe. The path is very long, arduous, and really, it never reaches to the end. So what happens to the followers of Yoga? Somewhere on the path, in some life, they turn to Tantra.

Intellectually Yoga is conceivable; existentially it is impossible. If it is possible you will reach by Yoga also, but generally it never happens. Even if it happens, it happens very rarely, such as to a Mahavira. Sometimes centuries and centuries pass and then a man like Mahavira appears who has achieved through Yoga. But he is rare, an exception, and he breaks the rule.

But Yoga is more attractive than Tantra. Tantra is easy, natural, and you can attain through Tantra very easily, very naturally, effortlessly. And because of this, Tantra never appeals to you as much. Why? Anything that appeals to you appeals to your ego. Whatsoever you feel is going to fulfill your ego will appeal to you more. You are gripped in the ego; thus yoga appeals to you very much.